


The Bond

by ohsko



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: But the bond keeps growing, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Gen, M/M, no romance for now?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:26:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29679078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohsko/pseuds/ohsko
Summary: Thanatos still remembers his childhood memories, but he believes his best friend doesn't.That makes him get an idea that everything changes, like the surface of the River Styx. Everything leaves him behind alone.
Relationships: Thanatos & Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	The Bond

How long will emotions last? How long are memories being kept? Thanatos watches over mortals living on the surface. They are planting seeds, harvesting crops, cooking foods, dining with friends, falling in love with each other, having babies, playing with kids, celebrating their growth, leaving last words to them, and die. A mortal's life is short, but they change their mind, sometimes frequently, and forget their past. This is why horrible wars happened over and over and makes Thanatos overwhelmed by his duty. He doesn't care no matter how busy he is, but occasionally considered about the immortals. How long do immortals maintain their bonds? 

Gods and their relationships are complicated. The one, who stands on the top of the mountain, made children with goddesses although he had a furious wife. The other one, who governs the underground, let his spouse out of his house. Thanatos knows this kind of episode a lot, but he never discusses them with others. He isn't gossipy and also believed that everything changes, leaving him behind.

Thanatos takes his small belonging out. It is a mouse named Mort, which Nyx, his mother, gave him when he was a little boy. He lost the adorable companion once but found him again now. Perhaps, Mort might have come back to him for some reason. Anyway, the toy mouse reminds Thanatos of unforgettable childhood memories, at least to him.

\----

One day, little Thanatos was walking around the house of Hades, looking for Prince Zagreus. Nyx asked him to find the little Prince, who had disappeared for a while. She said that the last time she had seen Zagreus, he was talking to his father, Lord Hades; after that, he was gone. She knew what happened between the dad and son and got worried about the prince. So she thought she had to care for him. Thanatos and Zagreus's relationship was technically unequal: an incarnate and a God, but the boys were good friends. They were brought up by the same Goddess and shared a lot of things. 

“You know where he went, child,” Nyx said. “And you can take him back.”

She would have already known as well but seemed to want him to find the Prince instead of her.

“Okay, mother. I will.”

Thanatos nodded.

Indeed, Thanatos somehow expected where Zagreus was. After checking the Great Hall, the Prince’s room, and the lounge just in case, He headed to a balcony in the West wing. As he anticipated, the Prince was there, overlooking the River Styx. His back looked a bit smaller than usual. Thanatos hesitated to speak to him, but he did it to fulfill the errand.

"Zagreus."

The shoulder shook. Then, Zagreus looked back at Thanatos, rubbing his eyes. 

"H-hi, Thanatos. What are you doing here."

"I was looking for you."

"Me? Why?"

"Nyx asked me."

"Ah, I see." Zagreus sighed. "She's worried?"

"Yes, she wants to see you."

"Okay, but tell her, 'I'm fine.' I want to stay here a bit longer."

Thanatos didn't want her mother to wait, but he stood by Zagreus instead of taking him forcefully. Zagreus kept quiet, so Thanatos also didn't say anything. Listening to the river's gentle sound, They just saw the surface of the water that kept moving and changing. Zagreus always came here when he felt down or got into a temper. Thanatos didn't know the exact reason, but he supposed because the river could wash everything away, including emotions and memories, whatever they were. What remained after everything had gone was calmness.

After a while, Zagreus said.

"Weren't you going to ask me anything?"

Thanatos looked at him. "Ask what?"

"Like, 'What's wrong with you?' or 'What happened to you?' or... something like that."

"Do you want me to?"

"Maybe... eh, I don't know...but" Zagreus looked down, his fingers interlocking each other. "You do know what happened to us, right?"

"Yes."

"What do you think of it?"

"What..." Thanatos didn't make sense of what he meant. "What do I think of...?"

"You think 'oh, that's usual. Prince Zagreus is always scolded by Lord Hades.' like that? I think like that. I always get him angry." The Little Prince's voice was low and faintly trembling. "Maybe he hates me."

"No," Thanatos denied it. "No, I don't think so. Indeed, Lord Hades tends to treat you strictly, but it's just for your own good. I mean, it doesn't come from disgust for you.”

“Okay, Than, ” Zagreus shrugged. “but what's 'for my own good’? Whatever I do, he's never satisfied. Never. Every time I see his eyebrows down, I'm disappointed in myself. Am I not good enough for him? Am I a worthless son? ‘For my own good’? No, I don't want it. I just... I just want him to say, ‘Good job, my son. You'll do even better tomorrow than today.’”

The voice had full of emotions mixed with grief and resentment. Thanatos had no idea what to say more. He could explain what was 'for his own good' logically, but he was sure that nothing could wipe his loneliness out. The son wanted his father's affection, which the friend couldn't give instead. Their problematic relationship should have been solved by themselves.

The silence lay between them again. The endless river's tone embraced two immortal kids, gently trying to stream their feelings away. Time would flow everything, whoever they were, whatever they were.

However, Thanatos wanted to do something to his friend now.

"Hey, Zag," Thanatos took something special out. "Have a look at this."

"Huh? What's that?" 

"His name is Mort, Mighty Mort."

"Mighty Mort?" Zagreus laughed a little. "Haha, he looks like a tiny mouse."

"Apparently, yes. But he has a strong power inside. He can terrify foes even if he was surrounded by a numerous amount."

"Wow, he's truly Mighty Mort."

"Yes, but he was not powerful at first. You know, he's just a little mouse. Most things in the world were bigger than him." Thanatos put Mort on the balcony's handrail as if he introduced the mouse as a brave knight to the prince. "So He trained himself step by step and finally got the strength that frighten his enemies."

"That's interesting. And so?"

"So... what I want to say is... I mean..." Thanatos carefully looked for the best words, but there was only one thing after all. "You've always been great, and I'm sure you'll be much greater in the future."

Zagreus blinked twice and stared at Thanatos with wide-opened eyes. Thanatos didn't detect from his surprised face what his words gave to the prince. He was afraid whether he has made a mistake, but a smile soon came over Zagreus's face. "Like Mighty Mort?"

"Like Mighty Mort," Thanatos said in little anxiety. "I don't know how you feel, but I'm..."

"Yeah, I know you're always serious. I don't remember you flattering me ever. So, I trust you." Zagreus poked Mort softly. "I mean... Thank you, Than. I appreciate you."

\----

Thanatos sighs, recalling the memory as if that happened yesterday. He supposes Zagreus might have already forgotten it, whereas he's kept it as a keepsake. Zagreus has tried getting out of the house without telling the friend, maybe the best friend. Thanatos does know how much Zagreus has been craving for a family who would hug him affectionately. But is a friend less meaningful than family to him? Enough to leave them behind? Thanatos understands that's a silly question; he shouldn't compare them. However, it has continually been grabbing his mind tightly, getting him to admit that everything changes. The childhood memories have been gone. The friendship has faded. He can't stop them like nobody can halt the river's stream; nobody steps back to the past. He closes his eyes, petting Mort's head with his thumb.

“Now, you and me, Mort.” 

Then, he goes home.

As he observes the River Styx from the balcony, the familiar voice is thrown to his back.

"Hi, Thanatos." 

Thanatos slowly turns and sees the expected face.

"Zagreus." 

Zagreus looks somehow excited, hiding something on his back.

He still keeps talking to Thanatos when he comes back to the House after painful deaths. Sometimes with a cheery face, sometimes with gifts for Thanatos. These illogical attitudes bother Thanatos, making him confused why Zagreus is doing such unnecessary things. Thanatos believes that he is a thing Zagreus would abandon behind and forget all about someday.

"I finally found you, Than." Zagreus chuckles. "You’re so busy, huh? When did you take a day off the last time?"

"I don't remember that. A war is ongoing on the surface. There's a bunch of mortals I have to go fetch."

"Mortals are always fighting each other. Wait, are my kins related to that...? I don't know well, but I'd better apologize to you instead of them?"

"No need, definitely. This is my business. So, what's your purpose in coming here and talking to me?" The voice of the Death is getting a bit sarcastic." You're also busy recently, aren't you?"

"Ah, yes, I found a good thing to give you! Here."

Zagreus shows Thanatos the thing hidden on his back. It is a thick bottle that has a golden inside.

"Ambrosia...!" He didn't expect that it appears in front of him. "Zagreus, where did you even... don't you think this is a bit excessive?"

Ambrosia, the taste of which takes anyone to the rapture, isn't easy to obtain, even for God. Indeed, Zagreus has occasionally gifted him several times before, but this is absolutely too much as a small present.

Thanatos is confused, his gaze going back and forth between Zagreus and the bottle quickly. Contrastly, Watching his why-you-tease-me face, Zagreus just smiles, maybe because his surprise is successful. 

Zagreus chirped. "You say that like it's a bad thing. Little bit of excess from time to time never hurt anyone, I'm sure."

But Thanatos is still in confusion. "I don't understand... I don't understand why you keep giving me something like that...?" Thanatos looks away from Zagreus. "You don't have to do this. You have to focus on your way. You told me you had to, you had to go...without..."

Thanatos can't continue to say anymore. If he said this, the reality he predicted over and over would assault him. He is scared of losing the best friend even though he assumes he is well-prepared.

Zagreus stares at Thanatos quietly for a while and then gets a step to Thanatos gently.

"I know you don't trust me, don't trust my recent behavior. Sure, as you said, I didn't care anything in the House, focusing on escaping from father's realm. Okay, I understand. But please trust yourself, I mean, trust what you did to me, Thanatos. You'd done a lot of things to me ever since we were kids."

Zagreus puts the Ambrosia on the balcony rail.

"That makes you deserve the gift, and this is the reason I keep doing such a thing."

The bottle glitters, reflecting the sparkles of the river. For Thanatos, it looks brighter than the river. He feels dizzy and narrows his eyes. 

"...Though you're going to embarrass me..."

Thanatos shakes his head.

"You know what, I am going to reciprocate. Behold." 

Thanatos takes his memorable toy out. And he put it next to Ambrosia.

"Mighty Mort!" Zagreus makes a loud voice as if he unexpectedly meets the old friend. "You're really giving Mort to me? He is a sort of your precious, right?" 

"W-Wait, Zagreus," Thanatos couldn't get what he said clearly at once. "You... you remember him?"

"Of course, I do. Mighty Mort, the brave little mouse who has great power and terrifies his foes. But... He got lost, didn't he? Did you find him?"

"Yes... yes, he's come back." Thanatos can't believe he still remembers the mouse. "For some reason, I guess."

"For some reason." Zagreus chortles. "Anyway, I'm deeply honored to have him. Thank you, Thanatos. I appreciate you."

Mort is bathed in the light from Ambrosia, looking he is so proud of himself. He has always been not only in Thanatos but in Zagreus. The surprising fact still makes Thanatos all mixed up, but he feels something warm spreading gradually in his mind. It could be called 'delight,' 'embarrassment,' 'hope,' or something much sweeter, but he doesn't define what it is. At least, He now knows that some things still remain in his hand, which gets him a slight smile. This is enough for him, for now.

"Hey, Than?" Zagreus asks. "Did I become as great as Might Mort?"

Thanatos answers as he did that day or night. "I'm sure you did, Zag."

**Author's Note:**

> The bond will never perish.
> 
> Thank you for reading!  
> You can find me on Twitter @ohsko_the_human


End file.
